A pair of losses to begin its season has somewhat curbed player enthusiasm, but the Lady Tiger basketball team remains focused on winning tonight’s 7 p.m. home opener against the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore at Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
“My concern is consistent effort,” head coach Joye Lee-McNelis said Monday. “We just weren’t consistent and we didn’t get a lot out of the first game against Nevada.”
Memphis (0-2), which was beaten, 82-65, Friday night by host Nevada in the first round of the Nevada Bell Classic, played better in a 75-70 loss to the University of North Texas Saturday, but not well enough to win, according to Lee-McNelis.
“Against North Texas our effort was consistent, but we didn’t have good production,” she said.
Lee-McNelis said there were some positives for the Tigers in the tournament, especially in the second game in which Memphis’ bench scored 50 points and pulled down 24 rebounds.
Freshman forward Aesha Carter scored 14 points against the University of Nevada in her first collegiate game and is averaging 7.5 ppg this season.
“Aesha Carter really played good. She was a good surprise,” said junior center Shannon Hamp, who has averaged 17.5 points per game this season. “We’re just trying to win one, and we are practicing hard for the next game to get it.”
Lee-McNelis echoed Hamp’s sentiments.
“We are eager, excited and hungry for a win,” she said. “We won’t have trouble bouncing back and being mentally tough for Maryland-Eastern Shore.”
Lee-McNelis credited Hamp for her consistency in the Nevada Bell Tournament over the weekend and said the Tigers will look to her tonight against the Lady Hawks to carry the load.
“Shannon Hamp really put the team on her back against Nevada and tried to carry the whole team to a victory,” Lee-McNelis said.
According to Hamp, she has tried to play more of a leadership role this year and enjoys carrying the team, which she wants to do more and more of as the season progresses.
Tonight’s opponent, the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, was just 5-23 last season and is listed as an underdog in the contest.
“(Maryland-Eastern Shore) didn’t make postseason play last year,” McNelis said, “but there are a couple local players on the team – Paula Tucker from Germantown High School and Tekeya Gooden of Kirby High School, so it should still be a good game.”
